Heat a large stainless steel skillet over high heat. Dry roast the corn, onion, and jalapeño until the kernels, onion, and pepper have a nice char. Next dry roast the tomatoes until they are browned all over and the skins have burst. Watch everything very, very closely, and remove the tomatoes as they burst.

Seed and core the jalapeño. Set aside 1/2 cup of roasted corn kernels. Then combine the tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, remaining corn, garlic, and parsley or cilantro in a food processor. Pulse 3 or 4 times–you’re looking for a smooth salsa that also has a bit of texture. Pour salsa into a bowl, add the reserved corn, salt, vinegar, lime juice, pepper, and cayenne. Check salt and acid levels and adjust according to your tastes.

Serve with corn chips, or over your favorite salsa-loving food.

One last thing: your skillet is going to be a mess. Let it cool a bit, carefully add some hot water and scrape up as much as you can. Dump that, and then rub the (cool) skillet with a paste made from baking soda and a little bit of water. Add more water and let it sit for a while–baking soda is magic!